Drugs gang members are jailed

MEMBERS of a Yorkshire drugs gang have been jailed for a total of nearly 30 years - only 24 hours after a York drugs gang was jailed for 20 years.

The seven who were sentenced at Leeds Crown Court made daily, sometimes twice daily, drug runs from Bradford to Harrogate and Knaresborough, where they sold heroin and crack cocaine on the streets for months.

But, as in the case of the York gang headed by Brian Smith, detectives from North Yorkshire Police’s organised crime unit were on their trail and rounded them up.

The ringleader of the Harrogate gang, Wajid Al, 28, of Bradford, was jailed for eight years for conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine.

His lieutenant, Michael Christopher Crowl, 27, of Woodfield View, Harrogate, who was the main driver for the drugs runs between Bradford and Harrogate, was jailed for six years for the same offence.

Others in the gang received sentences of between 16 months and four years.

Detective Inspector Mark Pearson, of the organised crime unit, said: “Wajid Ali was undoubtedly the ringleader and he preyed on the vulnerability of drug users in the Harrogate area, getting them to do his dirty work for him.

“Having said that, it doesn’t excuse the involvement of the other defendants, who knew exactly what they were getting themselves into, in particular, Michael Crowl, who despite being arrested several times continued the drug runs to Bradford on a daily basis. “

The police operation began when an officer saw a pedestrian buying drugs from someone in a Peugeot car on March 28, 2012.

The lesser gang members were: Janine Cattermull, 28, of Southgate Avenue, Ripon and Katrina Gill, of Spa Lane, Harrogate, who both got four years; Gemma Chambers, 31, of Wentworth Close, Harrogate, and Katie Bradley, 33, of Thistle Hill, Knaresborough, both got 32 months each and Anthony Ross, 24, of Westminster Place, Bradford, who got a 16-month prison term. All five admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

Bridie Kate Chapman, 28, of Harlow Park Road, Harrogate, admitted being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and was given a 21-month prison sentence suspended for two years.